


Ones & Zeros

by greeneggs101



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Melancholy, Re:Mind Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:00:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22402204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greeneggs101/pseuds/greeneggs101
Summary: Data-Sora put a lot of time in to help with the research. He just wants someone to talk to.
Relationships: Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 31
Kudos: 188





	Ones & Zeros

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [DataGreeting.EXE](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22398085) by [Fauxstales](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fauxstales/pseuds/Fauxstales). 



> Inspired by a conversation I had with [ Faux](https://twitter.com/TheFauxsynder) over on Twitter regarding the Data Greetings and Limit Cut battles. So we both wrote our own versions! Be sure to check Faux's out here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22398085
> 
> But yeah, I headcanon that Data-Sora in Limit Cut is somehow the same Sora or a copy of the Data-Sora in Re:coded and no one can take that from me :D 
> 
> *also this isn't my _first_ fic I wrote after remind... and I might post that first fic later... But this one was too cute not to share. I just love Data-Sora!

Sora leaned his back against the wall as he watched the portals pulsed and glow. He had beaten each of the enemies behind the portal and now it was just him here alone. He had once found enjoyment in fiddling with the other people in the computer, posing them like the dolls he and Riku used to play with (until Riku declared that they were too old for dolls), but even the thought of it now pained his heart. 

He wanted to talk to someone. He almost wished those beings in the portals would stop attacking him for five seconds so he could have a conversation. But they seemed to only want to attack him. 

“...dunno how it got unplugged. Dang kids playing around on it probably.” 

_ Huh? Cid? _

Sora immediately stood up straighter and looked around. He didn’t see anyone though. 

“So how is the dreaming going?”

“I’m getting closer.” 

Sora gasped.  _ Riku?! _

“But every time I reach out to touch him I—” 

The familiar voice cut off, and Sora knew in his heart that Riku was holding back a sob. What was making Riku so sad? 

And where  _ was _ Riku?

Sora cupped his hands around his mouth. “Hey! Riku!” 

“Sora?!” 

Sora heard several other gasps and more calls of his name, but the only one he focused on was Riku. “Riku!” 

“Where are you?” Riku called back. 

Good question. 

Sora looked around, not sure how to explain this place. “Uhh, in… here?” 

“Hey, look at the monitor…” Leon’s voice was quiet. 

_ Huh? Monitor? _

Sora walked over to the computer, surprised to find something new on it. A familiar room and then—

“Riku!” 

“Sora…” Riku turned to someone off-screen. “You mean we could have talked to him this whole time?” 

“Hey!” Cid protested. “I didn’t know the speakers and microphone got unplugged.”

“It’s okay,” Sora reassured them. “I’ve just been hanging out here.” 

“Sora… is it really—” 

“He’s a data version,” Leon said interrupting Riku’s question. “He’s not… the one you’re looking for.” 

Sora felt his heart drop at the change in Riku’s expression, turning from hopeful to sad in a heartbeat. “I— I know I’m just data… but I’m still Sora, right?” 

“Of course you are,” Riku replied immediately, “But… Do you know that you’re data?” 

“Uh… yeah…” Sora swung his hands behind his head. “I’ve done something like this before.” 

“You have?” Riku’s brow furrowed. 

“Well, we did network into the Disney castle computers recently…” Cid said, coming into view. “I suppose the Data-Sora from there that helped decode the journal could have copied himself over… and merged with the data we got from the computers here.” 

“Yeah!” Sora said, crossing his arms and nodding. “I don’t remember doing all...  _ that _ . But that sounds right. I’m Sora, just one made of ones and zeros.” 

“No. You’re more than that.” Riku grinned softly, and Sora eagerly returned it. 

“So… did you guys do anything with that data I collected? What did you need it for?” 

“I— er, we’re looking for you. The you out here I mean.” 

“The me out there… Am I missing?” Sora didn’t like the thought of that. If he was missing, who was keeping Riku company? 

Riku looked down. A silence fell after that, answering his question. Distantly, Sora was aware of people leaving the room Riku was in, Aerith quietly ushering them out the door with a soft. “Give him some privacy…” 

Once Sora saw that they were all gone, he reached out to the computer, wishing he could reach further and touch Riku. “What’s wrong, Riku? Why are you sad?”

Riku looked back up, and Sora wasn’t surprised to see the tears falling down his face. He wished again to reach through the screen. He could count the number of times Riku has cried in front of him on one hand. It somehow made the times Riku did cry all the more melancholy. Like it wasn’t something that was supposed to happen. 

“I miss you,” Riku said, rubbing under his eyes. “I— the you out here I mean. I— You’ve been gone—” 

“A long time?” Sora felt his heart drop. Riku was just as lonely as he was. But Riku especially should never be alone. “But it’s okay. You’re going to find me right? The real me? You’ll bring me home. I know you will!” 

Riku jerked in his seat, looking like he was caught between crying and laughing. “Sora, I— I don’t deserve your faith.” 

“Yes, you do…” Sora crossed his arms. “C’mon Riku, I have faith in you, and I know the real me does too. You just have to have faith in yourself. Believe in your dreams right? Is that how you’re finding me?” 

Riku nodded. “The Fairy Godmother and Yen Sid seem to think I hold the key. Or at least… my dreams do.” 

“See, there you go. If you’re on the case, I know you’ll find me.” Sora laughed, his grin growing brighter when he heard Riku join in. 

After a moment, Riku looked back at Sora. “So… how are things in there?” 

“Huh? Oh…” Sora shrugged, “You know, I fight these guys again every once in a while. The mini you here is a little annoying.” 

To his delight, Riku laughed. Sora eagerly told Riku everything about this data-realm, every fight, every manoeuvre. He tried to keep it light, focusing on making Riku laugh. 

He had missed this. 

“Oh! And then there’s that photo mode. I’ve been having a lot of fun with that! But those models don’t talk back… though the ice cream tastes like how I think it should…” 

“Huh? You can… you can go into photo mode too?” 

“Yeah! And I’ve seen all the photos others have been making. I’m guessing some of them were you? They’re so clever!” 

Riku blushed, the glow highlighted by the light of the computer screen. “You can see those?”

“Yeah! I love the ones you put in of you and me together. And all the ones with the dream eaters. You gonna show them to the real me when you find him?” 

Riku looked down, and Sora pictured that he was fiddling with his phone. “Yeah. He’ll laugh…” 

“Well, I did!” Sora grinned. “I could almost picture them talking.” 

Riku’s head jerked up. “I never thought— Sora are you alone in there?” 

“I uh…” Sora didn’t want to admit it out loud, knowing that it would just make Riku sad again, undoing his whole progress. “Well—” 

“You are…” Riku bit his lip. “I’m sorry! Maybe we can get—” 

“I can’t leave!” Sora protested. “What if you still need me here to gather data? Or— What if I leave and i/’m cut off from you guys completely. I don’t want that. Especially now that we can talk.” 

“I’ll talk to you every day I can,” Riku promised. “And I’ll tell the others and—” 

“Thanks, but I love just talking to you…” Sora grinned, feeling a warmth in his chest where his data heart beat. “I always love the time we spend together. No matter if we’re apart, I know you’re with me.” 

“I—” Riku looked down again, before nodding to himself. Then he turned back to Sora with a slight smile. “Want to see some photos I created before Cid and Leon walked in?” 

“Yeah!” 

—-

Even though Sora knew he was only made of data, he still felt sleepy sometimes. He supposed that was because computers sometimes went to sleep. He didn’t really have a bed, but the floor was comfortable enough. 

On this night though, he found himself restless. His day with Riku had been perfect, even if there was a screen between them. Sora knew that even if Riku had to leave soon, he would keep their conversation in his heart forever. He replayed it in his head when he found it difficult to sleep. 

“... want me to do what now?” 

Sora groaned at the voice. Cid?

“Can you not do it?” 

Riku? 

Sora tried to wake up, but every limb felt heavy with sleep. He could only lie there listing to bits and pieces of the conversation as he drifted in and out of sleep. 

“Well, I can, but—” 

“Please?”

“All right, but I’d need—” 

“... have it here—” 

“... really thought about this then.” 

Sora tried to stay awake, figure out what they were doing. But a cloud of sleep covered him once more and he fell back into a datascape of darkness. 

—-

“Wake up, you sleepyhead.” 

Sora gasped. Riku’s voice sounded a lot closer! He sat up quickly, nearly knocking his head into something. 

Or, rather, someone. 

“Woah! Don’t knock me with that hard head of yours.” 

“Riku?” 

Sora turned, finding Riku— An actual full-body Riku— sitting in front of him. He was wearing the same clothes he wore yesterday when they talked through the screen, and he fit the image of Riku that Sora could see in his head. 

But it didn’t make sense. 

Riku shouldn’t be here.

“How are you—” Sora cut himself off, reaching out hesitantly to Riku’s hand. What if they touched— and Sora’s hand passed right through. Sora wasn’t sure the data in his heart could handle the hurt. 

Riku noticed his hesitation though and raised his on hand, gently cupping Sora’s face. “I’m here Sora. I’m right in front of you.” 

“Riku!” Sora launched himself into Riku’s arms, the muscles in his face aching with how wide his smile was. “How… why? What about—” 

“Uh… surprise?” 

Sora gasped, hearing Riku’s voice again, but the Riku here hadn’t spoken. Looking around, Sora found another Riku behind the monitor once more. The real Riku. 

“How—” 

“I converted some data from my heart and Jiminy’s Journal to… uh, create another me.” The Riku behind the monitor rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Like how you’re a data version of Sora.” the Riku next to him laid a hand on Sora’s shoulder. 

“Yeah. and I was gonna explain that to you when you woke up but, apparently my data self—” 

“Hey, you placed me in front of a sleeping Sora. What was I supposed to do with him?” 

Sora glanced between the two Riku’s, still trying to piece it together. “So… you’re data? Like me?” 

Data-Riku nodded. “That’s right.” 

“But…” Sora turned back to the monitor. “Why?” 

“I’m… we’re gonna try something soon so that I might be able to travel to where Sora is. My Sor— er, the Sora out here.” Riku’s face began to glow pink again, but he brushed passed it. “So, I might be gone for a while. I didn’t want you to be… alone.” 

Sora felt his eyes fill with tears, and he quickly rubbed under them, hoping they didn’t fall. “Riku— I— You— Thank you.” 

“I’m always here for you…” Both Riku’s said at once, creating an echo. 

Sora chuckled, feeling a tear leak out. “I know.” 

He turned back to the monitor. “You’re going to find the Sora out there. Your sora. And then you’ll bring him home and introduce us? Okay? And show him all the pictures! And Riku and I will take more pictures for you to show him. As many pictures as he wants.” 

The Riku in the monitor nodded. “Thank you… Having you believe in me… makes me a little more hopeful.”

“The real me believes in you too. So now you can’t fail. “

“And he won’t,” Data-Riku said, nodding at his counterpart. “I know I would do anything for Sora. Any version of you. And someone with that much strength can’t lose.” 

Sora shared a grin with Data-Riku, his Riku. “So then, we’ll be expecting you back soon. You don’t even need to say goodbye, because you’ll be back before we know it.” 

The Riku behind the monitor did another one of those half laugh/half sob movements but when he looked back at the computer, he was smiling. “See you soon, then?” 

Sora nodded. “Yeah.” 

Riku offered them one last smile, then got up from the computer. He opened up some kind of gateway with his keyblade and passed through. 

Sora let out a quiet sigh, but then Riku’s grip on his shoulder tightened briefly and he turned to meet concerned teal eyes. 

“They’ll find each other.” 

Sora nodded. “I know.” 

Riku wrapped his arms around him anyway, and Sora let out another soft sigh, leaning into the embrace. He could feel the same data of ones and zeros eating through this Riku’s heart, and it seemed to pulse in a rhythm that matched his own. 

If even their data selves were in tune, there was no way the real ones would be separated forever. It was impossible to stay away from half of your heart for forever. They were like magnets, always drawn together. 

Though then Sora remembered the effect of magnets on computer data and decided that maybe the magnet metaphor wasn’t apt in this particular situation. 

“Did you know you think aloud?” Riku chuckled pulling away. 

“I, uh…” Sora stumbled for an explanation. “I guess I’m just used to being by myself.” 

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Riku said, pushing Sora’s bangs out of his eyes. 

Sora grinned. “You’re a lot more open with your emotions than the real Riku.” 

“I was created from Riku’s heart… I guess he wasn’t afraid this time to share some of his feelings… does it bother you?” 

Sora quickly shook his head. “Nope. I love it!” He reached up to run a gentle hand through Riku’s hair as well. “And I think deep down, the real Riku would know that the real Sora wouldn’t mind so much either.” 

“I hope so…” 

Sora hummed, loving that gentle look in Riku’s eyes. He could stand there under that gaze forever, and part of him wanted to… 

But another part of him wanted to show Riku around first. 

“Hey, do you wanna meet a bratty mini version of you? And maybe kick his butt a bit?” 

**Author's Note:**

> If you've enjoyed, please leave a comment :D 
> 
> Also feel free to follow me on Twitter: [ @Green_eggs101](https://twitter.com/Green_eggs101)! I occasionally post snippets of upcoming fics and theorize. Right now it's a bit remind heavy, but I try to remember to tag. :)


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